My beginner's pourover setup

Coffee brewing at home can be a really expensive hobby especially when you're starting from zero and you're not even sure if this is the right hobby for you long-term.

Here's how I would build a pourover setup from scratch if I were still a beginner.

This is optimised for getting a decent cup without blowing a ton of money on something you're still unsure of, while having the option to upgrade pieces of the setup as you go along.

Text with the 👉 Emoji has links to the product I recommend

[👉The Grinder]: I'd spend my biggest chunk of change here and would at least buy a reputable brand's hand grinder. A Timemore C5 Pro or grinders at a similar price range would be my recommended minimum. Anything cheaper and you'll be looking to upgrade super soon. Better yet, borrow a grinder from a friend.

[👉The "Kettle]": Temperature controller goosenecks are expensive. This a cheap milk steaming jug. Why? It lowers the temp from boiling just enough and it still gives a somewhat decent level of control. Basically anything with a spout can do to start, because we have...

[👉The Chopstick]: This helps compensate for the lack of pour control, we can use the chopstick to ensure all the grounds are agitated enough even without multi pour techniques.

[👉The Brewer]: A Plastic Conical Dripper. Plastic is actually better than ceramic or glass because it doesn't soak up the heat from your water. Also it's cheap. Mine is also from Timemore.

[👉The Scale]: Any cheap coffee scale with a timer can do, they're actually pretty good to start with. Or if you already have a digital kitchen scale, that will do too!

The "Server: You don't need one. Brew straight into your cup.

The Beans: Start with "higher solubility" beans like naturals and more complex processing methods if it suits your taste. They are designed to give up their flavor easily, making them harder to stuff up. Also, buy beans that you enjoy drinking from your favourite cafe.

The Process

I did 13g:200g with water off the boil, 40g bloom with a chopstick stir, wait 1 min, pour to 200g, chopstick stir, drawdown at 2:30

1. Grind 13g coffee
2. Boil water and transfer to milk jug.
3. Bloom 40g bloom for 1 minute, stir with chopstick
4. Pour the rest of your coffee up to 200g, stir with chopstick

Enjoy a decent cup that won't break the bank!